7139513-Dos-and-Donts-in-US

8/3/2019 7139513-Dos-and-Donts-in-US

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. . . . . . . . . .

Prepared by all punks group .

C O M I N G T O A M E R I C A(An informal document)

Users Guide Version 1.0

A Must Read For EveryoneBy : Whats there in a name ?


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CONTENTS

1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................................1

2. Carry Luggage..............................................................................................................................................23. The Arrival...................................................................................................................................................34. Using Telephones.........................................................................................................................................55. Public Transport...........................................................................................................................................76. Mind your language.....................................................................................................................................87. The Anti-Universe phenomenon................................................................................................................128. FOOD, I'm hungry.....................................................................................................................................139. Office and the Work Environment.............................................................................................................1410. Americans and their Behavior.................................................................................................................1611. Initial package from DCI.........................................................................................................................1812. Getting Social Security ............................................................................................................................1913. Driving License/Photo-ID........................................................................................................................2014. Bank Accounts/Cheque Writing...............................................................................................................2215. Cards.........................................................................................................................................................24

16. Shopping...................................................................................................................................................2617. Renting an apartment...............................................................................................................................2718. Buying a Car.............................................................................................................................................3019. Renting a Car...........................................................................................................................................3320. Doctors in U.S..........................................................................................................................................3421. Income Tax In US:...................................................................................................................................3622. AAA Membership....................................................................................................................................3823. How To Send Money ?...................................................................................................................... ......3924. Towards a more American Conversation ................................................................................................4125. Last Word.................................................................................................................................................43

COMINNG TO AMERICA ii


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1. Introduction

Usually, before anyone comes to the U.S.A for the first time from India he/she will start

talking to people who have been here before and get information from them about what toexpect, what to do etc. Though this gives some idea it doesn't make one confident orbetter prepared and moreover how much can one absorb at once.

So we felt the need for a small, informal document which anyone could carry along withor read on the plane before he/she gets to the USA The objective of this document is tomake you aware of things, situations to expect and enlighten you with facts so you can becomfortable once you get there.

This friendly document will guide you during your stay in the U.S. You will be betterprepared for the trip if you read this document before going or just after reaching. It triesto give information on preparing for the trip, food, travel, stay and culture in the U.S.

This is just out of our experience and should be considered as an advice rather than finalauthoritative statements, which may be arguable. We want you to enjoy your trip to theU.S. as much as possible. You bet.

All the best!! :-)


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2. Carry Luggage

The carry baggage is the biggest problem while coming to U.S. What to carry? How much

to carry? Do I carry more woolen clothes 'cause its cold out there? Well, we all think, itdepends !!

Don't carry too many heavy utensils, cooker etc. You can buy most of the utensils there.They are not costly and you don't have to carry much. You can carry some spices with youif you want to, 'cause after going there you may start missing the Indian food taste.

Don't carry too many warm clothes (unless you are going there in winter), or sports shoesetc. It would be better if you buy them after going there. That way you can buy the lateststyle. But you should carry leather shoes from India, since leather items are costly in theU.S. Rest, it all depends on you and your needs !!

COMINNG TO AMERICA 2


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3. The Arrival

Enjoy your flight. Try to learn more about other nations from the co-passengers There can

be international stops on your way to the U.S.

3.1 International Stops : Generally passengers are required to get down at an Internationaltop, which might be for Security checkup or cleaning of the airplane. You will be given a'transit card` or say 'transit visa`. Normally the halt is for a couple of hours. Listen to theannouncement which is always made before the international halt. You will hearinformation about departure time, gate number etc. After getting down at Intl. Airport,you can move around in the airport. But be at the gate within 45 minutes of your flight'sdeparture for the onward journey, 'cause they may require to check your tickets etc. Onceyou get in, you are all set to take off for the final destination.

3.2 Immigration : The first thing you need to go through at the port-of-entry U.S. airport(international airport where you first land in the U.S.), after landing is the immigrationand customs clearance. After which you may board a domestic flight to reach your finaldestination. Before getting down at your port-of-entry final international halt, inside the plane, you will be given a form to fill up called I-94. SPECIFY DCI s CONTACT NUMBER, ADDRESS AND OTHER OFFICIAL INFORMATION AS YOURCONTACT NUMBER, ADDRESS WHERE YOU ILL STAY etc.

On alighting from the plane you may ask people or signs will guide you to theimmigration. Keep your passport, H1-paper ( Blue form ) and the form you filled insidethe plane, handy. At the counter you might be asked some questions. TALKABSOLUTELY TO THE POINT. DON`T TRY TO LIE. MAKE SURE THAT

WHATEVER YOU SAY IS WRITTEN ON THE PAPER. You will be given the counterfoil of I-94 form. Keep that very carefully. And say to yourself "WELCOME TO USA".

3.3 Baggage Claim : Try to acquire some 25 cent coins (called "quarters"), which you mayneed for getting a trolley cart for your baggage and also for making telephone calls etc.Thereafter move toward the baggage claim carousel assigned to your flight, simply followthe signs directing you to the place. Collect your luggage and look for signs directing youto customs clearance. At the customs clearance they may ask you to open your bags for asecurity check/verification.

3.4 Domestic Flight : Since the Port-of-entry may not be your final destination in the U.S.

andyou have to proceed onwards, locate the counter for the domestic airline you will betaking to your final destination. Above all don't hesitate or feel shy to ask for help fromairport support staff (at information desks) or police officers, if you need anything.

Follow signs directing you to your domestic flight because you will need a boarding pass.If it is far away, take the Airport shuttle (bus) service which is free. If you don't knowwhere to get down, tell the driver in advance and he will drop you off at the proper place.



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At the counter (podium) check-in your baggage and get your boarding pass issued andready. On arrival at the final destination, collect your baggage once again and look aroundfor that someone who may be there to receive you. If you don't find anyone or you alreadyhave specific instructions, follow those, otherwise call up (telephone) the DCI areacoordinator whose tel. number you should be carrying. Therefore remember to keep phone numbers handy. Get information from the DCI area-coordinator on the stayarrangements made for you. Finally, if no one comes to pick you up, try to locate theinformation counter from where you will get all the information regarding how to call forAlso the Public Transport section of this guide will help you in understanding the travelfacilities available in the U.S.



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4. Using Telephones

The first thing you might do when you come to USA is call someone. So this is a goodtime to tell you about telephone usage. Telephone calls within U.S. are considered "local"(within the area of the caller) or "long distance" (outside the area of the caller). Local callswithin a short region are free unless made from a public pay phone which is a coinoperated machine. Long distance calls are charged at varying rates, depending on how youmake the call (which long distance carrier/company you use), for how long you speak andthe time of the day. Note that the telephone companies in the U.S. are private. Each localregion is assigned an "area code". So the phone numbers are denoted as (area code)-1234567. where 123-4567 is your actual phone number. If you are calling a number withinyour "area" then you should dial only the phone number. If the call is outside your area

you need to dial 1-(area code)-123-4567, which is the long distance call. Again,sometimes when the area code is the same as yours, you may still have to dial a "1" beforethe number without the area-code e.g. 1- To make an internationalcall i.e. to India you need to dial 011-91-- e.g. 011-91-22-1234567. Here 011 indicates an international call. 91 is the country code for India. 22 isthe "area code" for Bombay and 1234567 may be the actual phone number you want todial.

Other important facilities provided are -

1. Yellow pages (Tel. directory) Advertisements and Telephone numbers of businesses.2. Emergency Telephone Number There is one emergency number that you can dial for

any type of emergency which is 911 (Fire/Ambulance/Police).3. Directory assistance Local telephone numbers - 411 Long distance - 1-(Area Code)-

555-1212 Toll Free number enquiry - 1-800-555-12124. Toll free

Most of the 1-800 numbers are toll free. You will not be charged for the calls you make tosuch numbers. e.g. The toll free number for Mr. Ashok Agarwal (DCI California) is 1-800-969-1117. This is a toll free number and you can dial it from anywhere in the U.S. withouthaving to pay for it, even from a public phone. Some telephone numbers have alphabets inthem such as 1-800-COLLECT. To dial this number, just press the digit on the telephonepad which has the corresponding alphabet you want to dial on it, simple!.

Most people use answering machines which are connected to their telephones, or somekind of voice mail system. It has a standard pre-recorded greeting which is played whenyou call up and then after some beeps, it records your message. Initially you will feel likeyou were talking to a dead person, but soon you realize the importance of owning ananswering machine. We bet you'll buy one too!.



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Using the PUBLIC "pay" phones : The important difference is, you need to insert themoney first then dial the number. To operate a pay phone you need 25 cents. This pays forone local call. If your call is not connected your money is returned in the "coin return"slot.

Collect call - If you want the called party (person whom you are calling) to pay for the callthen you make a collect call. To make a collect call pick up the receiver and press 0. Letthe operator know that you want to make a COLLECT call, the operator will connect youto the phone number you need. But before that the operator will check with the otherparty if they want to collect (pay for) the call. An easier way is to dial 1-800-COLLECTfrom any phone and just follow the recorded instructions.

Time zones : There are four time zones in the U.S.

1) Eastern TZExample : Massachusetts, New York, Florida etc.

2) Central TZ ( lags Eastern TZ by one hour )Example : Iowa, Kentucky, Indiana etc.

3) Mountain TZ ( lags Eastern TZ by two hours )Example : Colorado, Utah, Wyoming etc.

4) Pacific TZ ( lags Eastern TZ by three hours )Example : California, Oregon, Washington etc.

Day light saving : As the name suggests, the time is set in such a way that maximum daylight could be used. e.g. During summer, the sun rises at around 4-5 o'clock. So the clock

is set forward by one hour. This forces all activities to start one hour earlier so thatmaximum day light is used till late in the evening.

Therefore : The Clock is set back by one hour on the first Sunday of November 1 (FallSeason) at 2:00 am. Clock is once again set forward by one hour on the first Sunday ofApril at 2:00 am. (Spring Season). The easiest way to remember this is FALL BACK,SPRING AHEAD. By the way, Arizona is the only state which is not affected by day-light-saving. People there do not ever change the time in their clocks.

Currency :Dollar : 100 cents Quarter: 25 centsDime : 10 cents Nickel : 5 centsPenny : 1 cent

Initially there is some confusion since the quarter is exactly of the same size and shape asthe Indian 50 paise coin.



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5. Public Transport

All major cities have some sort of public transportation not necessarily very good or

frequent or well connected. Therefore most people prefer to travel by their own cars. It isbetter that you own a car in the U.S. so that you are independent. But till you get to buy acar you can use the public transportation system or depend on your friends/colleagues fora ride.

5.1 Trains and Buses : In most cities, you may purchase Daily Tickets from the conductoror the driver on the train and buses each day. For more information on routes, schedulesand fares, see the publications and maps published by the city's local authority. You canlocate them in your telephone book.

5.2 Taxi Companies : In some areas you must telephone for a taxi and make anappointment. You will not find them waiting in the street corners but you do find themwaiting in a queue at the airport. Taxis are listed in the yellow pages under the name"Taxi" or "Taxicabs".

When you call, tell the "dispatch" operator where you are and where you want to go. Thedispatch operator will tell you how long it will take for the taxi to arrive at your startingpoint. He or she will ask for the telephone number, so they can call you if the taxi drivercannot locate you. You should ask for the estimated cost of the ride.

When you enter the taxi, the meter will read flat rate. This is the minimum charge. Youwill be charged the flat rate for each mile you travel.



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6. Mind your language

For successful conversation, in the US, it is advisable that you speak slowly andpronounce properly. Well, the first part you really need to practice otherwise what you willhear from the person opposite is "pardon me", "come again", "I am sorry", "I didn't getyou". e.g. The changes in pronunciation are like 'schedule' pronounced as 'skedule', 'route'pronounced 'raut' etc. Also some words are totally substituted like 'petrol' by 'gas'. Here isa table from Gary Nobel of HP SanDiego, which he created when he traveled in India.Thanks to him. The dictionary is very remarkable.The following is a simple dictionary for translating between American

English and Indian English. This dictionary should be useful for the new-comer to eitherthe U.S. or India. The words are in no particular order. Suggestions for additions aregladly taken at [email protected]. Gary Nobel 8/20/92

INDIAN ENGLISH AMERICAN ENGLISH

Food Related

Coriander CilantroCold drink Soda popCurd YogurtCafe ("kayf") Cafe ("kaf-ay'")Nes-coffee Instant coffeeFilter coffee Brewed coffeeMilkpowder CreamFrench beans Snow peasHotel RestaurantJelly Gelatin

Garam masalla CurryLady fingers OkraSmall pastries Lady fingersToffee Hard candyBrinjal EggplantBiscuit Cookies/WafersBun Biscuit(Potato) Wafers (Potato) chipsFinger chips French friesGroundnuts Peanuts




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Education Related

Public school Private school (tuition charged)Private school Public school (free)School High school

College SchoolUniversity SchoolHigh school School/Junior HighTake a class Teach a classBe a student Take a class2nd standard 2nd gradeHigh marks Good gradesInvigilator Proctor Canteen Cafeteria

Clothes

Windcheater Windbreaker Vest UndershirtWaistcoat VestHalf-pant ShortsPurse WalletSwim trunks Swim suitSwim costume Swim suit

Transportation Related

Traffic signal Traffic lightBoot, dikky Trunk of a car

Bonnet Hood of a car Petrol pump Gas stationPetrol GasDiesel FuelPavement Sidewalk Footpath Sidewalk

Zebra Crossing Crosswalk Take a lift Get a rideMotorcycle MotorbikeCycle Bike



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Other

Football Soccer

American football (rugby?) FootballSolid SubstantialLtd. Inc.

Transistor Radio

Two-in-One Boom box

Goggles SunglassesCooling glass SunglassesToilet RestroomGuest house MotelCurrent Electricity$20 Note $20 Bill

Cell Battery

Torch FlashlightRubber Eraser Snap Picture

Photograph PictureMixee (?sp) Mixer Dustbin Trash canBeggar PanhandlerIBM-Compatible IBM-CloneInflammable Flammable

Mess Dorm cafeteriaHotel RestaurantRestaurant bill Restaurant check Picture MovieTalkies MoviesLift Elevator

To fix To install

To repair To fix

Pram Stroller

Idioms

To post (a letter) To mail (a letter)To submit To turn inTo be out of station To be out of town

A place to park Driveway

A place to drive Parkway

Straight-away Right awayAnticlockwise CounterclockwiseBunk school Skip class



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Passed out GraduatedFainted Passed outRing up (someone) Call up (someone)

The line is engaged It's busy / I got a busy tonePush the accelerator Step on the gas

Give the car some race Speed up the car Get down (from a bus) Get off (of a bus)Let's push off Let's goLet's make a move Let's goConvince someone Talk someone intoBlack money Tax free, undeclared incomeStanding from a constituency Running for an electionIssue a book (from the library) Checkout a book (from the library)How are you? How are you doing?How is everything? How is it going?Intimate Inform

(Very Close Relations) (Intimate Relations)Too good Cool



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7. The Anti-Universe phenomenon

When you come to the U.S. you will notice the opposite everywhere. You will get thefeeling "These guys are crazy" .....almost everything you try to do will fail even if it is asmall thing like switching ON the lamp !!!!"

This is just to make you get a hang of it. The cars are driven on the right hand side insteadof left hand side of the road. So you should look left first while crossing roads :-). Youmay have to insert the key upside down and rotate it in the opposite direction to unlock.You will also notice that switches work in opposite direction i.e. UP is ON and DOWN isOFF :-).The date is written with the month first, then day, followed by the year.

As one of our American colleague pointed out jokingly, "its logical, if you see that India isexactly opposite in location on the globe, to U.S.!!!"



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8. FOOD, I'm hungry

Of course you must be hungry, when you arrive. God knows what you ate on the plane.

You don't remember the neither item's name nor its contents. It may be one of the weirdestthings you ever had for dinner or lunch. So you must be apprehensive about what you willget for lunch or dinner. The best thing you can try is PIZZA, which is pronounced as"PiTza".

You get both Veg. and NonVeg Pizzas. But to be on the safer side order a Veg. Pizza thatway you won't be left hungry atleast. Order a small pizza if you are alone or a medium sizeis enough for two or three (well it depends on your appetite actually). You can order pizzaby phone and it will be delivered at your doorstep in a few minutes. Refer to the yellowpages or consult the motel receptionist you are staying in, for information.

For breakfast, have 'Continental breakfast' which is cheap and the best. To be sure aboutVeg. items, always ask for items with "NO MEAT" rather than "WITHOUT MEAT".Besure to say "NO ICE" if you prefer to have your drink without ice. And remember thata CHEESEBURGER is a misnomer. It contains meat besides cheese, so be careful!

Here is a guide for Vegetarian Dishes:

Mexican : Bean Buritto, Enchiladas, Bean Taco, Cheese Taco, Bean Tostadas, MexicanPizza

Italian or Greek : Eggplant (brinjal) sandwich, Sphagetti with tomato sauce, Lasagna(pronounced Laza-nya), Italian Pitza, Italian Pasta with tomato sauce,

Falafal, Veg. Gyro (pronounced Yero).

Denny's : Vegetable omelette (with eggs)Vegetable lunch/dinner (salad, potato smash,garlic sauce) Broccoli soup

American Restaurants (Sizzler, Olive Garden) : Best bet is salad bar & French fries

McDonald's : Mac cheese sandwich, Milk shakes, ice-cream sundaes

Pizza Hut : Veggie Lover's delight, Veggie pizza with a choice of toppings such asJalapenos (pronounced Hala-pin-yose and are green chilies), pineapple,

tomato, onions etc.

Burger King : Vege cheese whooper, Garden burger



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9. Office and the Work Environment

Before you start your first day, get a hang of how the work environment is at the client'splace from any PCS person there or read on for some typical environments you may find.

- Project Leaders are very understanding and friendly. And do not undulypressurize you to perform. They will definitely give you some time to comeup to speed on their work environment.

- There is a lot of individualistic approach. Every person's inputs are given alot of importance. Independent views are respected. Before discarding anyof your ideas, they will give you a good enough reason for doing so.

- For the smallest of decisions they will sometimes hold a meeting and get theentire team's inputs/comments/suggestions before proceeding. One feelsimportant when this is done. But sometimes it can get boring.

- Nobody double-checks what you are saying, they take you for your word.

- There are no suspicious feelings and managers don't fear subordinates.

- Managers will openly discuss about their meetings with "their" bosses, withthe team. There is no hide and seek as far as information/feedback isconcerned.

- People admit if they don't know or have information about certain things.They don't pretend to be all knowing.

- People are dedicated to their area of work and develop expertise in it. Butthey do not talk about work related topics, which are not in their area ofexpertise, they immediately refer you to the right person.

- People enjoy their work and leisure. They plan their weekends well inadvance. Very few people stay back late in the office or come and workduring weekends. Such things are not related to performance. As long as

you do your work well and within time, nobody cares what else you do andwhen.

- Most companies allow you to compensate by working during the weekend ifyou take an 'off' from work on a regular weekday.



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- The work hours in most companies are flexible. Come anytime and goanytime but you do need to put in a minimum of 8 hrs/day or 40 hrs/week ascontractors.

- Regular time sheets "may" have to be filled, in some companies.



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10. Americans and their Behavior

Its helpful to know how Americans typically will be. Otherwise you will start feeling"These people are great dramatists... ". Here are some tips:-

- Americans are very friendly and helpful.

- They don't make you feel like a foreigner. (Though you feel!)

- It is very easy to adjust with them. But they don't like people getting veryinquisitive or trying to get too personal in the initial phase of theaquaintance.

- They dress casually and nobody bothers which dress you wear etc.

- They are fun loving creatures and enjoy their free time. Most of them liketo keep themselves physically fit by regular outings, hiking, exercise,biking, jogging etc. They love the outdoors and natural surroundings. Theylook forward to weekends and plan their weekend activities in advance.This usually consists of some outdoor activity.

- They are frank about their opinions.

- They respect individual views and allow everyone to voice their own ideas

on a subject.

- They have a lot of patience. Especially when standing in queues or whiledriving, nobody will try to jump before you in the queue. Most of them arevery disciplined drivers. However this differs from State to State.

- If they happen to come in your way or you happen to come in their way,you will promptly hear an "Excuse me" or "Excuse us".

- They need a lot of feedback while talking. You have to acknowledge/nodcontinuously. Otherwise they feel you are not interested in listening or are

confused.

- They gesture a lot and shoot some funny (at least so it seems initially)phrases at you. It is a matter of "getting used to it".

- They are "very" proud of their country. To them, the Universe is the UnitedStates. So never ever make fun of or speak lightly about them or tell them



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that they do not have any social/cultural background. You will make moreAmerican friends that way.

- Most Americans think of India as a poor country of beggars, snakecharmers and swamis etc. This is due to the insufficient and impropermedia coverage given to India. Their T.V. only shows the poor Indianvillages and cows on the streets.

Hope you will be able to prove that India is a country ofINTELLIGENT people like youand not just ELEPHANTS and SNAKE CHARMERS.



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11. Initial package from DCI

NOTE: The first official thing you should do without being asked to, is to apply for yourSocial Security Number - details are given in this doc.

After arriving in USA one gets a package from DCI. This package consists of differenttypes of forms. The most important one being the Medical Insurance form. Don't becareless about this, make sure to fill and return it soon.

After receiving this package one should sign all the forms and send it back to DCI as soonas possible. This package consists of following documents.

Personal details : In this form you need to fill up all your personal information which isrequired for official purposes.

Passport details : In this form you are expected to furnish all your passport details.

Away from business expenses form : One is supposed to fill up this form at the end ofevery month. We get our salary in two parts. One is Salary or Allowance and the otherpart is the reimbursement of the expenses incurred. Your area coordinator will inform youabout what amount you can claim etc. It depends on the position and the class of city youare in.

Couple of memos : These memos inform you about certain rules.

Medical insurance registration form : (MOST IMPORTANT FORM) This form you aresupposed to send to the medical insurance company. It needs routine personal information.In two weeks of time you will receive your medical insurance card, which will cover mostof your medical expenses in the U.S. But be sure you understand what is covered underthis scheme and what is not.

You are supposed to send all these forms and memos asap. Couples of these forms requireyour Social Security number. If you have not yet received your social security numberthen leave that place tentatively blank in your forms and you can inform DCI about it later,when you get one.



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12. Getting Social Security

You must go and get your social security number and driving license done immediatelyafter you come.

12.1 Social Security Number

Each individual in Unites States is required to be registered with US government by law.The way we have registration in India through Ration Card it is Social Security here.

This number is very useful for the government as well as the for the individual.Government can keep track of the individual from this particular number. You will needthe SS number for any official paper work or dealings e.g. while filling Tax forms or whileopening a bank account or while getting a membership in the public library. A person'sentire credit history can be traced from this number.

As soon as one arrives in US he/she is required to get Social Security number immediately.It is a very simple procedure.

Every town or a city has a Social Security office. You have to go there with your Passport.First thing you need to do is collect the application form for new social security number.These forms are available in various languages. Find one in English and fill it completely.It will ask you for your local postal address details besides other information. The officerwill check your application form and passport. After checking everything you will be

informed when you will be receiving your Social Security number, which will be by postalmail.

Generally within three to four weeks time you will receive your social security numberwhich appears printed on a small card, which you should carry/preserve safely.



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13. Driving License/Photo-ID

13.1 Getting Driver's License

Driver's license is one of the most important documents required in United States. Apartfrom driving needs it is required at almost all the places where you need to show your ID.Mainly because this is the only valid Identity card which is required and approved at all theplaces.

Here in US most of the money transactions are done via checks or Credit cards. Initiallywhen you don't have credit card, check is the only practical and recommended way ofpayment. Nobody keeps cash. People generally issue checks even for a small amount ofless than $5.00. Checks are as good as Cash and can be deposited at any ATM (AutomaticTeller Machine) center. These checks are accepted only with a valid PHOTO-ID at mostplaces. Actually a Photo-id could also be a simple identity card issued by the DMV (Dept.of motor vehicles), which is not a driver's license. At most places Driver's license is theonly valid PHOTO-ID. So after getting Social Security number, Driver's license is anothervery important thing one should acquire as soon as possible.

Getting driver's license is not very difficult here. Before appearing for a driving test behindthe wheels one has to clear a written test conducted by DMV (Department of MotorVehicles - similar to RTO in India). Each state has their own laws for driving a vehicle.DMV issues a book on the rules, which are required to be followed very strictly. Thisbook gives detailed information about all the laws and is written in a very nice manner. It

is very easy to follow all the rules as they are nicely explained and if necessary, supportedby good photographs.

After understanding the contents of this book you can appear for the written exam. Youcan appear for the test on any working day. You can call up DMV and take anappointment with them or you can even go directly.

They will check your Passport and will give you a question paper. Questions are objectivetype and you have to choose the best answer for each question. Time is no limit for theexam. After you are done with it, the person on the counter will immediately check yourpaper and will tell you your score. Upon passing this test you will get temporary driving

license which is valid for two months. DMV also issues an ID card. The state governmentissues this. You can use this ID card as a Photo-Id till you get your driver's license. Atsome places you are required to produce two Photo-Ids, that time it is very useful to havethis photo-id you can even go for some driving lessons. For driving lessons you can go todriving school or to a private teacher. Private teachers are little cheaper as compared todriving school. Once you are ready for the test, again you will have to take anappointment with DMV for the driving test.



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On the day of appointment you have to go there with your learning license. The car inwhich you will give your driving test should have proper Insurance papers. Also check allthe controls, including signal lights and brake lights. If any of these is not in shape, youwill not be allowed to appear for the test. This test will be of 100 marks. After your test,driving inspector will immediately tell you your result. Generally they explain to you yourmistakes so that you can work on them and rectify. If you have passed you will get yourlicense immediately in most places.

If you fail there is no minimum period required between the time you appear again. So youcan practice again and appear as soon as you can.



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14. Bank Accounts/Cheque Writing

- They are basically of two types - Savings a/c (with interest)

- Checking a/c (with NO interest)

- Generally most people open a Checking a/c at first.

- To open an account you need a social security number, however since ittakes a week or more to get the social security number one can request thebank to verify the passport and open the a/c. Later do remember to informthe bank once you receive your SS number.

- Then there are concepts like

- Minimum balance - which is either NO or YES (It is better to open an a/cwith NO MINIMUM BALANCE otherwise you have to maintain thespecified minimum amount always in the account).

- Overdraft facility - Again NO or YES (This allows you some amount ofoverdraft. This might be beneficial in some cases, such as when the monthlysalary is not received on time and the house rent, phone bills etc. has to bepaid.)

- There are various kinds of check/cheque books available that one canchoose from, such as the kind of colored paper and printed background

design on paper etc. Usually a set of 200 checks bound together in booksof 20 each is sufficient for 6 months. But it depends on how many checksare issued by you and at what frequency. The first check book is given bythe bank immediately on opening an account, the other 200 checks aremailed to you at the given address.

- The next thing is to ask for an ATM card. This allows you to withdrawmoney 24 hrs. from any ATM machine of the bank or related ones.

- Some banks charge money to issue an ATM card and the first set ofcheck/cheque books. Something like $10.00 for the ATM card and another

$10.00 for the first 200 checks (10 books of 20 pages each). But mostbanks do not charge anything.

- The whole procedure of opening an account takes about 10-15 min.

- A few shops/gas stations etc. ask for a valid photo-id when payment ismade by check. This is just for verification. (A photo-id could be a U.S.



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driver's license or an actual ID-card which is issued by the local Dept. ofMotor Vehicles office.

- Small payments such as $1.25 etc. too can be made by check and it is notabsurd to do so. People carry very little or no cash on person. Most ofthem make their payment by Credit card or check. But it is advisable tocarry about $20.00 in cash at all times to cover emergency needs. Ofcourse you will have to always carry your checkbook around.

- The following style is used to write the amount in words on the check. Sayfor e.g. the amount to be paid is $35.47 then you would write:

Amount in words $: THIRTY-FIVE & 47/100



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15. Cards

- It is a fashion to collect cards of all types and store them in ones purse. The cards hererefer to the plastic type e.g. credit cards.

- So there are cards such as:Credit card,Debit card,Bank ATM card,Shopping Store cards (e.g. Sears card; "SEARS" is the name of a chain of stores in theU.S.)Medical benefit card, Telephone calling card, Public library membership cards.

- Most purses have transparent packets to keep these cards in order.

- Credit/Debit Cards: A credit card allows you to pay for your expenses without botheringabout availability of money at the time of payment. The Credit Card Company pays foryou and later sends you a statement every month elaborating the payments made. Youcan then, pay the credit card Company by check. There are certain limits imposed onCredit cards with regard to the amount of credit available to you, which vary.

VISA and MASTERCARD are the most widely accepted credit cards. The other beingAmerican Express card. (Called Am-Ex for short).

A Debit card is almost like a check, since it allows you to spend from your availableresources only (no credit business). The banks where you have an account, after you applyfor it generally issue this.

It is not so easy to get a credit card for the first timer in U.S. The application is scrutinizedby the Credit Organization/Bank and the credit history checked up (They call up the bankswhere you have an account, to find out your balance and credit status etc.). Actually itseems the credit history is traced from your Social Security No. Usually the period of stayis also an important criteria e.g. at least 6-month stay is essential to be considered eligiblefor a Credit card.

To build up a good credit history, many people take loans from the bank. E.g. to buy a carand repay it in time. This increases the chances of getting a Credit Card sooner.

The most easiest to get is the American Express Card. They ask for a letter from theemployer regarding salary status etc. once the initial application is verified.

- The Gold Card is the next thing to aim for, once you have at least a card. The Creditlimit is higher on the Gold Card apart from other benefits.



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- The most difficult to get is the DISCOVER credit card.

- Most Credit cards offer other benefits too, such as mileage accumulation for some airlineenabling you to travel free on that airline anywhere in the U.S. once about 20,000 mileshave been accumulated, at the rate of 1 mile per dollar. Some others offer Rental CarInsurance coverage and so on.

- Most organizations (health clubs etc.) issue membership cards with neat plasticlamination too.



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16. Shopping

The American system of sizes and measurement is different from that in India. Most of theshops in the U.S. are the equivalents of super markets in India. You can go around theshop, buy what you want and pay at the counter. The important difference you will noticeis, the shops are driven by customer service. So if you don't like anything that you boughtor it doesn't fit you properly you may return it within a certain period allowed. You shouldinquire about the return policy when you buy returnable goods. Ofcourse you need topreserve the receipt of the purchase. Most of the time they won't even ask you why youwant to return the goods.

When you buy shoes, the size should be 1/2 more than your size in India. For example, ifyou buy size 9 in India, you should buy size 9 1/2 in the US.(Or approximate it to thenearest round figure).

Following measurement chart will help you in converting between American system andmetric system.

Metric Conversion Chart

Millimeters x 0.04 = inches (in) inches x 2.5 = centimetersCentimeters x 0.4 = inches (in) feet x 30 = centimetersMeters x 3.3 = feet yards x 0.9 = metersKilometers x 1.1 = yards miles x 1.6 = kilometers

Grams x 0.035 = ounces ounces x 28 = gramsKilograms x 2.2 = pounds pounds x 0.45 = kilograms

Milliliters x 0.3 = fluid ounces fluid ounces x 30 = millilitersLiters x 1.06 = quarts quarts x 0.95 = litersLiters x 0.26 = gallons gallons x 3.8 = liters



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17. Renting an apartment

Now that you have started your work you would like to move into your apartment ratherthan stay in the motel. Here is what you should know about renting an apartment. You canget information on how to rent an apartment from the "Apartments" section of the YellowPages, newspaper or Rental Guideswhich are available at the stores. To lease (rent) anapartment you should consider following points:

17.1 Lease period and deposits : Usually there are two types of lease depending on theperiod of lease: 6 months lease & 12 months lease. (In some places they allow 3-month lease too, but the rent increases in that case). Most of the cases you get 1months rent free in case you select 12 months lease and you get half months rent freeif you select 6 months lease. You have to pay 1 months rent as security deposit andsome amount around 10$ to 15$ as key deposit. Rent for the apartment in basementsis less than other apartments. Very few people prefer to stay in basements because ofsecurity reasons. So when you ask about availability of apartments it is possible thatthe Manager will say only basement apartment is available. Hence insist forapartment on first or second floor if you don't want a basement apartment.Otherwise after renting a basement apartment you will realize that apartments otherthan in basements were also available.

17.2 Utilities : Check whether your rent includes utilities such as hot water, Cable etc.Otherwise you end up spending around 100$ to 150$ for electricity bill if you haveto pay for hot water.

17.3 Lease Terms : Understand the lease terms properly because most of the times youneed to break the lease in case your project terminates suddenly. if you want to breakthe lease a. You have to give 30 days notice. b. You lose your security deposit c. Insome cases they (the apartment management) try to find somebody who wants to rentyour apartment. If they don't get anybody within 30 days period You have to pay 1month's rent extra. In this situation you lose your security deposit plus one monthsrent. Get these terms clarified before signing the lease papers.

17.4 Lease Breaking : If you are sharing an apartment with somebody. Suppose 3 peopleare sharing an apartment and all three have their names on lease papers. In case one

of the three wants to leave before the lease period is over, you need to take a letterfrom him saying that all further paper work can be done by the other two people. Thisletter is required when your lease period is over or even if you want to break the leasebefore that period is over. If you don't have such a letter you won't be able to breakthe lease unless all three have signed the lease break paper. In such cases you also endup losing your deposit. This is true even for normal termination of lease period. Becareful and understand these terms and conditions fully.



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17.5 Damages : After renting an apartment carefully observe if there are any types ofdamages in the apartment. If you see any, ask your Property Manager to make a noteof it. Otherwise they will deduct some amount from your security deposit when yourlease period is over.

17.6 Downgrading and Upgrading : If you want to move to 2 bedroom apartment from 1bedroom apartment you have to pay some 100$ to 200$. Many cases downgradingi.e. moving to 1 bedroom apartment from 2 bedroom apartment is not allowed. Getclarification on all such points while signing lease papers.

17.7 Electricity and Telephone connection : After you rent the apartment you need toinform your local Electric Supply company that you will be staying in that apartmentfrom so and so date and that they may bill you from that date. Ask your localtelephone company for a telephone connection by calling them up. Most of thebusiness takes place on the phone. Surprisingly all work gets done and promptly too.

17.8Maintaining an apartment : In most of the apartments you have cooking range, oven,

dish washer, refrigerator etc. Use aluminum foil to cover part of the cooking range(other than coils) so that it remains clean and in the end you don't need to spend timein cleaning it. Dish washer soap is available in liquid or in powder form. Dish washerinner surface starts becoming blackish after some days. The cleaning liquid can beused to clean it. This can be done once in a month. Clean your oven once in a monthusing oven cleaning liquid. Use plastic garbage bags in trash cans so that you can justtake the bag and dispose it in the central trash, usually provided in the apartmentcomplex.

17.9Laundry : If the apartment itself does not have a washer/dryer, there will usually be acommon laundry room in the complex where you can do your weekly

washing/drying. Such common machines usually are coin operated machines so you'llneed a few quarters and also your own favorite detergent powder.

Decorating, Furnishing YOUR house : Of course this is not an advice for interiordesigning but to make your APARTMENT look like a HOME. Home is not a place withfour walls, but where you have furniture also :-). The greatest place to get the things youneed for your house is Garage Sales. You can get things like Sofa sets to Wall paintingsvery cheep from this source. Everyone will be amazed if you have a full-furnished house ina few months.

Garage sale is a second-hand, used thing sale, which includes household items such asfurniture like couch etc., appliances such as T.V., stereo, clothes/jackets, other used items.

This is held in peoples garages or backyards generally on weekends. They are a nice placeto buy furniture from, which is usually in good shape. Anybody, who wants to sell oldused things, can hold a garage sale and put up a sign near the house announcing such asale. The prices are negotiable. Generally people advertise through local newspaper adcolumns.



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The early morning time on Sat. and Sun. between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. is the best tohunt around for used things in garage sales.



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18. Buying a Car

If you are going to stay at a particular place for quite some time say more than threemonths, then its better to buy a car rather than rent one. Buying a car involves quite somework. Its better to be cautious while buying a car, 'cause owning a car brings you freedomand you own a vehicle but you need to maintain the car and take care of any problems.The main concern while buying a car is its maintenance cost should not be high, otherwiseyou will loose a lot. So here is what experience tells us.

Buying a car in America is very easy, there are lots of used cars for sale and there is nevera shortage. It is just the question of deciding the budget and type of car to be bought.

Most people prefer Japanese cars over American makes simply because of the easy re-salability. The most popular Japanese car makes are Honda and Toyota.

Types of models? There are two categories of cars, 2-door, 4-door. The 2-d are cheaper.Then comes the type of transmission (gear), automatic or stick shift. Most people buyautomatic transmission. Such cars are very easy to drive. (Almost all-Indian cars are of thestick-shift variety).

Where to look? The local newspapers carry a lot of car sale advertisement everyday. Youshould see the paper and decide on the ones you are interested in. Next call up the ownerat the tel. no. given, as early in the day as possible and fix up an appointment to visit andsee the car. Test-drive it, if you like it and the price is ok, tell the owner that you'd like to

get it checked up by a mechanic. This is the normal practice. There is nothing to feel shyabout asking the car to be checked up. This will save you a lot of money later afterpurchasing the car from unforeseen problems that some used cars land up into.

Look up the yellow pages in the local tel. directory to get the list of car mechanics or justask colleagues to recommend one. If that doesn't work out, ask the local AAA (AmericanAutomobile Association) office to recommend someone to you. For a fee of about $25-30the mechanic will check up the car and tell you the problems or possible problems if any.Some people do it for free. It is good to tell the auto mechanic to check up the followingthings with additional care in addition to their regular: -

1) Brake cylinder, drum and worn out pads2) Transmission. (This is the costliest part in an automatic car)3) If it is a 4 speed never buy it. 5 speed is ok.4) Check for rust in bottom, radiators, muffler and tailpipe.5) Check for vibrations when you brake from 40mph, without downshifting. If there are

vibrations, either break pads or steering pinion is in bad shape. Get 4 people to sit in thecar and you can make out if the suspensions are OK, when you make a sharp turn.



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6) Most important, check for oil leaks, and whether the car gives you power speed/pick-up when you try to accelerate. You can feel if it's OK.

7) Last, check for emission whether the smoke is black (thick), which means oil, is alsoburned with fuel => the car is beyond its life. The piston rings might be leaving a gap inthe cylinders because of wear. In that case, don't buy the car, because you will have tochange the cylinder, piston and rings which will come to double the cost.

8) Ask the owner to give the records of the maintenance he has done, like new tires etc.Also, make sure you don't go beyond 3rd hand purchase. There must be somethingseriously wrong with the car if people have changed owners drastically.

9) Air filter, valve etc. OK?

Ask the owner to discount the price of the car by the amount required for the repairssuggested by the mechanic. Or else ask him to get it repaired for you. The rates of theused cars have some standard values, which are generally not exceeded. These values canbe checked up in something called "Blue Book" which is a text available in the publiclibrary or with car dealers. So car models classified as per Year of make have their valuelisted in the Blue B OK. There is a cost deduction to be applied for the mileage that the

car has been driven for, which is mentioned in most Blue Books. That gives a fair ideaabout the standard cost of any used car. Moreover there is ample scope for pricenegotiation. Generally private owners who sell through ads can give better discounts thanused car dealers. Generally car dealers stick to the Blue Book Price but usually ask more.

Mileage is also a consideration while purchasing a used car. Lesser the better. The idealaverage is 10000 miles per year. So a car manufactured in 1987 may have a driven mileageof about 70000 miles in 1994 and not more than 80000. These are approx. figures.

After buying a car you need to get it insured. You cannot drive a car in the U.S. without proper Insurance. The car has to be insured against collisions etc. There are various

vehicle Insurance companies having various deals. Look up the yellow pages and call upsome of them and ask for their rates. Then decide on one. The Insurance coverage periodand the type of Insurance chosen and your age (more for less than 25 yr.) decide theamount to be paid. The "comprehensive", "collision" are terms used by the Insurancecompanies to describe the type of insurance coverage. Get everything explained properly.There is sometimes windscreen coverage too, for a nominal additional amount per month,this insures your windshield against damage (a windscreen replacement may cost about$200.00 approx. otherwise).

You have to get the emission testing done on your car before it can be registered. In casethe previous owner has got it done and the test is valid still, then there is no need to do itagain for the specified period. The valid test papers are required for Registration.

The local vehicle registration office will issue a temporary registration for 45 days andmeanwhile process and prepare the proper numberplates. The documents required to get aregistration are - Car ownership (title) papers, Emission Test papers, Car Insurancepapers. After proper registration is done you can drive your car. However you should havea Driver's License. Actually each state in the U.S. has different laws. Most states allowyou to drive with an I.D.P. (International Driving Permit) for a year or so. But others



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require that you get a local Driver's License. The driver's license can be obtained from thelocal DMV office after a written and driving test. Refer to the section on obtaining adriver's license for details.



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19. Renting a Car

Car is a necessity in most of the places here in U.S. Either you buy a car or you can rent acar. You can pay either a monthly rate or daily rent. Though its expensive to rent a car fora month or so, it might be required if you are going to stay at that place for a small periodof time. Here is some information you will need OR should know when you want to rent acar.

- The driver/co-drivers need to be at least 25 years old.- Credit Card is required to rent a car. Else a deposit of about $300 etc...Most companies

do not allow you to rent a car if you do not have a credit card.- You need a valid driver's license to drive a rental car.- Well-known car renting companies are - Hertz, Avis, Alamo, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise

etc.- Car Insurance has to be bought for the Rental car. It is a separate charge or is included in

the total per day renting cost. Some credit card companies pay for the insurance if youuse their card to book a car e.g. American Express Credit Card, in such a case you neednot buy insurance from the car rental company.

- You have to register the other drivers too as co-drivers of the rental car while bookingthe car. They should have valid driver's licenses too. Nobody else should be allowed todrive the car other than those registered!

- Unlimited mileage or fixed mileage is also a criteria, which decides the hiring charges ofa rental car.

- You can make the booking over the phone. But you have to go personally to pick-up the

car from the renting agency.- Generally the gas (fuel) tank is full and you are supposed to return it with a full tank.- Some rental agencies do not allow you to rent their car for travel outside the state.- There are various types of cars that can be booked. Generally depending on the seating

capacity, such as small, medium, compact, large, full-size, premium, mini-van, van etc.One may even choose the make of the car if available. The rental agencies maintain thecars in good shape and generally have new cars.

- The renting charges vary depending on the season, weekend/weekday, for how manydays you want the car, how much in advance you are booking, availability, type of caretc.



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20. Doctors in U.S.

God forbid, but if something happens to you, here is what you should know:

- The Medical Benefit Card which is sent by the Medical Insurance Company is animportant card and should be acquired at the earliest. Fill up the Medical forms sent byDCI and return those immediately to DCI to ensure that you are registered with theInsurance Company after you land in the U.S.

- This card entitles you to coverage under certain medical categories only.

- There is a $100 deductible. Which means if you land into medical problems, you have topay the first 100 dollars from your pocket. Thereafter the Insurance company takes overthe payment depending on the coverage plan etc.

- There are two acceptable ways of payment for the Doctor's services which depends onthe Doctor. The Doctor's receptionist is the best person to ask payment-relatedquestions. Some Doctors ask you to pay them (by cash, check, credit card etc.)immediately after the service. The receptionist will then give you a formal bill, which youmust send (by postal mail) to the Medical Insurance Company along with the claim formsupplied by DCI (which comes in with the initial package soon after you land in theU.S.) The Medical Ins. Co. will then send you a check after verifying your claim. OtherDoctors will note down the details of your Medical Insurance Company from your card.They will then send the bill to the Insurance Company and receive the payment directly.

You need not pay the Doctor. But in both the above modes, remember that there arecertain charges which the Insurance Company will not pay and which they don't cover,such as the first $100. So find out the details from the Insurance Co. about yourrespective coverage/medical problem etc.

- For certain kinds of medical problems, where you have to visit the Doctor repeatedly,only a fixed number of visits per year are paid by the Insurance Company and not all.

- How to decide on the Doctor to visit? Ask your colleagues or other Indian friends.Otherwise check up the yellow pages (phone directory). Look under the "Physicians"heading. Telephone the Doctor and fix up an appointment. Only in cases of emergency,

do the Doctors see you immediately, otherwise it is always by appointment.

- You can claim the expenses for any Dr. prescribed medicine that you have to buy fromthe Drug (medical) Store.



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NOTE:

- Pain in the lower back and strain between the shoulder blades and a stiff neck are verycommon due to the kind of spring mattresses and soft foam pillows available in the U.S.and one just needs to get used to it.

- Beware of Dental problems since they are usually not fully covered under the InsuranceScheme.



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21. Income Tax In US:

Income Tax return filing is very simple in US as compared to India. Here Tax forms arevery simple and easy to fill up. One need not know all about Taxation laws, but still canvery easily file tax return. Here in US there are two types of taxes. One is the FEDRALTax, which is something like our Income tax, and the other is the STATE Tax. Last day offiling the income tax return is 15th of April. Accounting year is considered from 1st ofJanuary till 31st of December. US has a Tax treaty with India. Under this Tax treaty onecan file his tax return either in India or in US as per the convenience. But you need toshow your income earned in either of the country.

Suppose you come to US in the middle of the year. You must be definitely having someincome in India before you came to US in that particular financial year. Also some part ofsalary is paid to you even when you are in US. This income is taxable and hence you paytax on that income. Generally you pay tax on this income in India as in most of the casesincome tax is deducted at source. So one pays tax on the income in India. So now you areliable only for the tax on the income that you earn in US.

Here there are different types of forms for different category of people. For those who areUS residents and who have status of Resident Aliens, they have to file the what is called1040EZ form (form 1040 easy). Any person who is in the US for more than 183 dayscontinuously, gains status of Resident Alien. Any person who is in US for less than 183days in that financial year is considered as Non Resident Alien.

Non Resident Alien will not have some Tax benefits which any US citizen or ResidentAlien will have. Here in particular, Non resident Alien will not get Standard deduction ontheir income. Also they have to pay Tax as per the Flat rate. So basically when you fileyour Tax return as NR you land up paying more taxes. But you have to file 1040NR whenyou are having status as Non resident Alien.

For filing Tax return form one can get help from the government body which is know asIRS (Internal Revenue Services). This is same as Income Tax department in India. Alsoone has to pay tax to the state government. Each state has a different tax law for the StateTax. Booklet of information on this is available on request. Tax forms are available freelyat the public places like Post office, Public library where one can get the form that he/she

requires. Also, government gives special services for the people who needs the guidance.One can get this information even on phone by calling them. One can even go in person tounderstand the form.

Apart from these facilities provided by the government one can even go to private Taxconsultants. They charge somewhere between $30 to $60. They take care of every detailand one need not bother about anything. Along with the Tax you are supposed to send oneform called "W2" form. The employer provides this form to all the employees. The form



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contains all the information based on the salary of the person. Also all the taxes paid by theemployer to the State government as well as Federal government. Details about the socialsecurity taxes and the medical taxes paid by the employer are also included in this form.

There are three copies of this form. One copy is to be sent with the State Tax form, onewith the Federal Tax form and one is for the employee's personal record. Before sendingthe W2 form one should check the validity of the information in it. Most important is thecorrect social security number. If there is any change in any of the information one shouldinform the employerasap. Employer is supposed to send the corrected information to IRSand also a corrected copy to the employee, which is called W2C form.



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22. AAA Membership

We wanted to mention this specially 'cause its very helpful for a person who is new to U.S.AAA read as 'triple A' stands for "American Automobile Association" is an auto club,which provides you with all kinds of tour, and travel information. It provides you with allthe maps and travel guides, which you will need. It also has services like towing, openingyour car door lock in case you get locked out, emergency help and so on. Being a memberof this club also gets you concession for motel booking and rental cars.

There is a yearly fee for all these services, which they provide, and if you believe us, "It'smore than worth it".

So we think its a good idea to be a member of this club. It will help you in traveling, whichofcourse you will do once you get here.



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23. How To Send Money ?

Here are a few ways to send money to India:

1. Personal Check (drawn on a US Bank). A lot of letters wrote tome that though thereis a delay involved (from deposit to encashability), Indian Banks do NOT charge aservice fee.

2. SBI Chicago has a provision wherein they charge you $5.00 as commission and youcan get a draft made IN INDIAN RUPEES right here in the US and sent to India.Takes 5-6 days. Their number is 1-800-334-6342.

3. Cashier's Check, Certified Check, or Money Order from a Local Bank. May involveservice charge and delay in encashability status (in Rupees).

4. Bank Draft. Usually, a $10 service fee (in a US Bank) is involved.

5. Cable Transfer. Speediest (3-5 working days). However, as I have noted from my localbank, $25 service charge is normally involved.

6. American Express Money Orders (I HAVE USED THIS METHOD). You can getthese from many stores, including 7-11s, for a service charge of 50 to 99 cents(depending where you are in the US). Most banks in India will pay U Rupees inminutes. Also, if it gets lost, full money (-$5) is absolutely recoverable. Extremelysafe, inexpensive, and fast method.

7. Citibank Rupee Drafts. Service charge is $5. 1-800-CITINRI. Immediately encashable

in India.8. Open an NRI a/c with Citibank (Bombay, Cal, etc.). Leave the checkbook with your

relatives. Arrange so that your folks in India could write checks and withdraw money.Takes about a week. Also, if you send a personal ($) check to Citibank at NY city,they transfer the money to your Indian a/c by telex (no charge), wherein Rupees arecredited (current rate).

9. Cable Transfer through SBI Chicago ($16 charge). Takes about 3 days.

10. NRI a/c with SBI NY, or BOI San Francisco. You can have a predesignatedbeneficiary in India who could draw in Indian Rupees in India while U pump $ here inthe USA.

11. Morgan's Trust/Hanover's Trust Cashiers Check/Demand Draft. You can get these inmost US banks.

12. Chase Manhattan Drafts from Bank of Baroda. Fast. Service charge present.

13. SBI San Francisco Bank Draft. Service Charge $7. #(415) 956-6326.

14. Credit Card. Get a VISA card. Get an extra card for your relative in India. They cantake cash advance and you can cover the charges from here in the USA.



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PS: Personal Checks are a Debatable Issue. Some say Indian Banks charge a fee while theymention the opposite. However, DELAY is involved in all cases.

The problem is where is the Money???



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24. Towards a more American Conversation

U don't open conversation (on telephone) with a Hello but with a HiThe telephone is never engaged, it's always busy.

U don't disconnect a phone, U simply hang-up.

U never mess-up things, U only screw them up.

U never have a residence tel. no., U have a home no.

U don't stop at the signals, but halt at the lights.

U don't accelerate, U step on the gas.

Your tire never punctures, U may have a flat.

The trains have coaches or bogies no more but carriages orboxes.

There R no petrol bunks or pumps, but gas stations.

I don't know nothing, 2 negatives don't make a positive here.

U no longer meet a wonderful person, U meet a cool guy

U don't pull the switch down to light a bulb, ratherflick it up.

U don't turn on the heat, U turn on the juice.

There's no Business Area only business districts, and no districts but counties.

No one stays a stone's throw away, might a few blocks away.

There's no Town Side, it's Down Town.

In hotel U no longer ask for bill and pay by cheque, rather ask forcheck and paywith (Dollar) bills.

There R no soft drinks, only sodas.

Life's no longer miserable it stinks.

U don't have a great time, U have a ball.

U don't sweat it out, U workU'r butt off.

Never post a letter, always mail it and glue the stamps, don't stick them.

U no longer live in flats or blocks, find an apartment.

U don't stand in a queue, you are in a line.

U no longer like something, U appreciate it.

# is not hash, it's pound.

U R not deaf, U have impaired hearing.

U R not lunatic, U are just mentally challenged.



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U R not disgusting U Rsick.

U can't get surprised U get zapped.

U don't schedule a meeting, U skejule it.

U never joke, U just kid.

U never increase the pressure, U always crank it up.

U never ask for a pencil rubber U ask for an eraser. A rubber is a condom

U don't try to find a lift, U find an elevator.

U no more ask for a route but for a RAUT

U don't ask somebody How r u ?, U say What's up dude?

U never go to see a game or a match, U go to watch a game.

U never go to a theatre (theatre is a place for dramatic presentations), U go to themovies.

If U see World champions (or Series), read USA champions (or Series).

There's no zero but o, no Z but zee.

There's no FULL STOP after a statement, there's a PERIOD.

If someone gets angry at U, U get flamed.

You don't say How do you do, you say How you doin

U don't call UR boss sir, U call him by his first name.

In short, U don't speak English, U speak American.

Well u dont say life is boring u say LIFE SUCKS!!!



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25. Last Word

Stress is a part of professional life and more so when you are living in an alien country.

The sooner you understand and accept it the more easily you will adapt to your newenvironment. Depression and homesickness are symptoms that you should look out for.With this we all feel you will be confident and may be able to come out with your ownUser Manual. But before we leave, we would like to tell you about "The Culture Shock"that you might feel. Try to position yourself on this graph. The graph shows typical phasesin the culture shock. It just makes you feel good, if you know that others are in the sameboat!!!

Still want to come to America .........!!!!!!

7139513-Dos-and-Donts-in-US

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